Tone adding Reverb to a live performance

[MandyH]

How can you add reverb to a live sax performance?
Preferably in the cheapest, least technical way possible.

 

[QWales]

This would do it: cheap clip on mic to vocal processor to speaker - all battery operated

 

[rhysonsax]

Are you performing with other musicians and is there a PA ?

Rhys

 

[Colin the Bear]

More info needed about where and who with. A mic into a pa is the least you need. Most amps have some kind of reverb settings.

 

[Targa]

Play in a very big empty building with stone walls.

 

[MandyH]

Are you performing with other musicians and is there a PA ?

Rhys

No,
and I have a mixer into my speaker (same output from mixer can go into my PC for recording)

 

[MandyH]

More info needed about where and who with. A mic into a pa is the least you need. Most amps have some kind of reverb settings.

I have a mic and a mixer, no amp, and no reverb on mixer as far as I know.

 

[MandyH]

this mixer:

Behringer | Product | 802

www.behringer.com

I have an Audio Technica AT2020 mic and a Shure SM57 mic, either of which are inputs to the mixer.
My IPad provides backing tracks, also as an input to the mixer. I listen to the mix via headphones.
The output of the mixer feeds via a USB sound card dongle into my Laptop to provide sound for Zoom/ FB live etc performances.
I can add reverb via Audacity if I'm recording but I'd like to add some reverb while performing live.

edit ... now I look at the mixer, what do the red knobs marked "FX" do ... I have them all set to zero.

 

[Merryfisher]

TC Helicon Mic Mechanic 2 Vocal Processor at Gear4music

TC Helicon Mic Mechanic 2 Vocal Processor at Gear4music

www.googleadservices.com

i always gig with one of these - set your own reverb &/or delay,

 

[h4yn0nnym0u5e]

Find a reverb / effects processor*. Plug FX send from mixer into processor input. Plug processor output into mixer aux return. Adjust levels.

* this is likely to be the hardest part! Lots of choice..,

 

[Colin the Bear]

So...not live then. Virtual.

FX is short hand for effects innit?
Like XS is short hand for excess.
Give them a twiddle and adjust to taste.

 

[Ivan]

edit ... now I look at the mixer, what do the red knobs marked "FX

What Hynonnymouse said... You can plug an effects box into your mixer. FX knobs won't do anything without that extra kit

 

[Pete Effamy]

I can add reverb via Audacity if I'm recording but I'd like to add some reverb while performing live.

Do you mean adding reverb to your sound whilst recording, not simply on playback? If so, you might encounter problems with latency - ie it takes longer for a signal to go through effects than otherwise.

 

[Ivan]

Do you mean adding reverb to your sound whilst recording, not simply on playback? If so, you might encounter problems with latency - ie it takes longer for a signal to go through effects than otherwise.

It may be a case of moving up from Audacity to a DAW that will play you back with effects... I don't notice appreciable latency using my DAW as I am playing

But I do have to adjust a fractional latency in the recording, after playing

 

[Vetinari]

What speaker are you using? Is it a self powered speaker, i.e. built in amp?

 

[h4yn0nnym0u5e]

edit ... now I look at the mixer, what do the red knobs marked "FX" do ... I have them all set to zero.

They adjust how much of each channel gets sent to the "FX Send" output socket. You'd probably only turn this up on your mic'ed sax. The FX (effects, yes @Colin the Bear ! That's how it's marked on MandyH's mixer...) processor takes this in at its input, adds reverb or whatever, and you plumb its output into "Stereo aux return", and adjust the "Aux return" control to give you more or less of the effect on the "Main output". See pages 6 and 7 of the mixer manual.

With a standalone FX processor you shouldn't have any latency problems, they're designed for live use. Laptops/PCs, not so much...

 

[MandyH]

Do you mean adding reverb to your sound whilst recording, not simply on playback? If so, you might encounter problems with latency - ie it takes longer for a signal to go through effects than otherwise.

No I mean adding reverb while playing live.

 

[MandyH]

So...not live then. Virtual.

FX is short hand for effects innit?
Like XS is short hand for excess.
Give them a twiddle and adjust to taste.

Um ... live as in what I perform in my room is broadcast live.

the output from my mixer would go to my speaker if my audience was with me. Instead it’s going to my laptop to my audience wherever they are across the WWW.

 

[Pete Effamy]

No I mean adding reverb while playing live.

In that case as has been said, you need an fx processor. Years ago Alesis produced the Microverb and Nanoverb. They were pretty cheap then so something along those lines should be very cheap now. You’ll want some small ¼ “ jack cables to connect from and back to the mixer. Something digital with presets.

 

[6441]

You'll want something like one of these and as Pete said, a couple of 1/4 [guitar] leads. When you get that, we'll walk you through how to connect it.

In the top row, are return and send for the effect device. You put the send into the input of the pedal. You take the output of the pedal and put it in the return jack that says "mono".
On the channel knob, there is a "send" (circled) that controls how much of the channel is sent to the effect.
You'll want a couple of these: